Opposition and ruling will measure forces by the First Secretariat of Congress

The election is expected to take place today in the continuation of the tenth ninth ordinary session. The position on the Board of Directors was vacant due to the expulsion of Deputy Karina Paz of the VOS block.

Three possible candidates are mentioned to occupy the first Secretariat of Congress, one of the main points on the agenda that the opposition block alliance seeks to address in the continuation of the tenth ninth ordinary session, to comply with the order of the Constitutional Court.

The Alliance, headed by Deputies Allan Rodríguez, Álvaro Arzú Escobar, Inés Castillo and Felipe Alejos, made the Court declare with place the proper execution of an amparo that they filed to continue with the plenary.

Among the candidates to occupy the first Secretariat, Deputies Hector Antonio Aldana Reyes and Ronald Portillo Cordón are mentioned, both of the Vamos Legislative Block, as well as the deputy César Augusto Fion Morales, of the National Unit of Hope (UNE), who is part of the group of dissident deputies of that bench.

For her part, Deputy Hellen Ajcip would be another option, proposed by the group of opposition benches. The parliamentarian currently presides over the Probity Commission.

As you have knowledge, the candidacy of Héctor Aldana would be promoted by the opposition blocks that seek changes in the legislative agenda and that are composed of deputies of Vamos, all, unionists, value, we, elephant and deputies of the UNE related to Sandra Torres.

Meanwhile, César Fion’s proposal would have the support of blocks that support the ruling party, including the deputies of the Semilla Movement – independent clarified by court order -, Cabal, I believe, Blue Party, Victoria, Good and dissident of the UNE, a group of which Fion is part. The congressman commented that he has not received a formal proposal on his participation to occupy the first secretariat and confirmed that, if his name has been suggested, it is by the group of dissidents to which he belongs, and not from the group related to Sandra Torres, headed by Inés Castillo.

As for the proposal of Deputy Ronald Portillo, it is mentioned that it could be an option supported even by deputies of the official alliance. However, Portillo claimed to ignore the issue of his possible nomination to the first secretariat.

On Monday afternoon, the names of the deputies Sonia Gutiérrez, of Winaq, and Hellen Ajcip, of the elephant block, as possible candidates to occupy the first secretariat also emerged. In 2024, Deputy Sonia Gutiérrez joined the first board of directors of the Congress, chaired by Nery Ramos, in which she held the fifth secretariat. As it has been known, the deputy would be proposed by the group of benches that support the ruling party in Congress. Currently, Sonia Gutiérrez presides over the Women’s Commission.

The first secretariat was vacant about the expulsion of deputy Karina Paz of the Will, Opportunity and Development Block (you), which has given up its interest in maintaining that position in the board. The opposition alliance also pursues the change in the presidencies of work rooms, such as energy and mines and finance, as well as the representation before the Monetary Board.

A weight position

Among the main functions of the first secretary is to ensure the expedited compliance with the resolutions of the issues discussed in Congress, as well as the 32 work commissions. It must also guarantee compliance with laws, regulations and other internal regulations. Another relevant function is the control of the expenses, purchases and administration of the resources of the Legislative, as well as the control of the hiring.

It should be remembered that the issue of hiring has been under the magnifying glass in Congress, due to the use of places such as payment of political favors and negotiations to benefit deputies and relatives. In the seventh legislature, during the presidency of Luis Rabbé, in 2016, several deputies were benefited with fixed and ghost places, and were linked to criminal proceedings, including Rabbé.

In 2024, when Deputy Karina Paz was in charge of the first secretariat, a review of the contracts of all workers and advisors under line 022 was carried out, as well as the wages they accrued. As the congresswoman said at the time, hiring and wages shot during the ninth legislature, chaired in her first two years by Allan Rodríguez and in the remaining two years by Shirley Rivera, both of the Vamos Block. Therefore, last year hiring in Congress was suspended.

Opposition without votes

Regarding the three possible candidates for the first Secretariat of Congress, deputy Samuel Pérez, of the official block, indicated that he has only heard that he wants to promote Héctor Aldana.

The position of Deputy Héctor Aldana was sought on his possible nomination but at the close of this note there was no response.

On the other changes in the agenda that the opposition seeks to approve this Tuesday, Pérez said: “Some movements have been heard; however, as evidenced in the last session, they do not have the votes. I believe that this is what is going to be repeated in this session, and rather there are conversations from us also with several deputies to be able to guide the plenary session correctly.”

CC support to the opposition

“The CC is doing is supporting the opposition alliance, supporting the continuity of this democratic break in the country, because they are especially interested in the continuity of these logics in the face of the key processes that come the other year, including the change of the magistrates of that instance. Probably, some of them want to continue as magistrates of the CC,” said the political scientist Renzo Renz continue with the tenth ordinary session.

Profiles of possible candidates

• Héctor Aldana was elected by the Vamos game in 2023. He held several positions in the government of Alejandro Giammattei: Advisor in the executive agency in 2020; In 2021 he was appointed Deputy Secretary General of the Presidency, when the current magistrate of the CC, Leyla Lemus, served as head of the aforementioned Secretariat. In 2022 he was appointed Deputy Minister of Transportation of the CIV. In 2023 he worked as an advisor to the Vamos block and that same year he was appointed Prosecutor of the party against the TSE during the electoral process.
• Ronald Portillo He was elected by the party we are in 2023. Before being a deputy he served as Vice Minister of Violence and Crime in 2022, during the government of Alejandro Giammattei. In 2017 and 2018 he worked as an advisor to the Government Commission and as a bench advisor at the Congress of the Republic.
• César Augusto Fion was elected as a deputy to the Congress of the Republic for the first time in the 2019 electoral process with the UNE, and was reelected in the 2023 electoral process again with that party. It is part of the group of dissident deputies of the UNE who have separated from the guidelines of Sandra Torres and who have supported several issues and initiatives to deputies who support the ruling party.
• Sonia Gutiérrez was elected by the URNG-Winaq coalition in 2023. He was part of the first board of directors of the Congress chaired by Nery Ramos, in which he held the fifth secretariat. He arrived at Congress for the first time in the ninth legislature, elected by the Winaq party.
• Hellen Ajcip was elected by the Elephant Community party in 2023. He arrived at Congress for the first time in the ninth legislature with the Viva party. In 2020 it was linked to the case called “Parallel Commissions”, investigated at that time by the FECI, by former Fiscal Francisco Sandoval.

The presidency of the Congress coordinates security

The president of the Congress, Nery Ramos, turned instructions to the Parliamentary Guard to coordinate with the Ministry of the Interior and that, through the National Civil Police, the entrance to the plenary of the 160 deputies is guaranteed, and thus continue with the resumption of the 19th ordinary session.

Ramos also sent a trade to the Minister of the Interior, Francisco Jiménez, so that the necessary efforts to comply with the order of the CC are made and the elements of the PNC are designated to protect the facilities of the Congress of the Republic and the security of the deputies during the development of the session, which has been convened for this Tuesday, May 13 at 2 pm.